Trash costs more to get rid of in Tracy than Manteca

It wasn’t too many years ago that a former Manteca City Council member’s mantra was “privatize, privatize, privatize.”

Manteca a decade ago compared fairly well against cities that contracted out their garbage collection although some cities still beat Manteca by up to a dollar or so.

That is no longer the case. The latest city to go charging past Manteca – pun intended – is the City of Tracy.

That city privatizes their garbage collection. It now costs more than $4 for comparable residential service in Tracy than it does in Manteca. Manteca’s service starts at $17.78 per month for a 32-gallon Toter.

And given the last round of cuts agreed upon by employees that also impacts the enterprise accounts such as sewer, water and garbage, Manteca won’t have a rate hike any time soon like other cities are contemplating to cover skyrocketing deadbeat accounts from the foreclosure crisis, a drop off in the value of recyclables, and rising fuel costs to name a few expenses.

It should be noted that the wastewater treatment plant run by city workers – the target of the former council member’s ire – ended up costing less per capita than two proposals received at the time from private firms.

Higher dog licenses go into effect immediately

Several callers were wondering when the new Manteca dog license fees go into effect so they can beat the increases.

Since they were in a resolution, City Clerk Joann Tilton noted they “go into effect immediately” unlike an ordinance that requires 90 days after the last reading.

However, she noted from a practical matter it depends upon how quickly the finance department can get set up to collect the higher fees.

The annual registration fee for dogs that aren’t fixed is going from $15 annually to $100 a year.

The one-year license for dogs that are spayed or neutered is going from $5 to $20 to cover city costs. Since paperwork accounts for much of the cost of issuing a license, the council adopted a two-year license for $30 and a three-year license for $40. Three years is the same length of time a rabies vaccine is good.

Tracy Police pass on raise to keep six officers

The Tracy Police officers union has opted to forgo a 5 percent raise they were scheduled to receive this summer under an existing contract so that the city would not be forced to lay off police officers.

Tracy Police’s rank and file, who received a 5 percent pay hike last summer, made it possible with their decision to forgo the upcoming raise to keep six uniform officers on the job.

At the same time, the Tracy Police union agreed to cut retirement benefits for new officers. It now means those hired from here on out can retire at age 55 with up to 90 percent of their salary. Those on the job prior to the recent vote can still retire at age 50 with up to 90 percent of their salary.